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The Missing Sister
The Missing Sister
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Belle Hatton has embarked upon an exciting new life far from home: a glamorous job as a nightclub singer in 1930s Burma, with a host of sophisticated new friends and admirers. But Belle is haunted by a mystery from the past - a 25 year old newspaper clipping found in her parents' belongings after their death, saying that the Hattons were leaving Rangoon after the disappearance of their baby daughter, Elvira.
Belle is desperate to find out what happened to the sister she never knew she had - but when she starts asking questions, she is confronted with unsettling rumours, malicious gossip, and outright threats. Oliver, an attractive, easy-going American journalist, promises to help her, but an anonymous note tells her not to trust those closest to her. . .
Belle survives riots, intruders, and bomb attacks - but nothing will stop her in her mission to uncover the truth. Can she trust her growing feelings for Oliver? Is her sister really dead? And could there be a chance Belle might find her?

This book is an interesting mix of mystery and romance set in 1930s Burma, and swaps between the stories of Belle, a nightclub singer and Diana, her mother. This novel has mystery, tension, violence and romance.
The setting in colonial Burma was beautifully written. It was an easy read and I enjoyed this story and would recommend.

I received a copy of The missing sister by Dinah Jefferies from the publisher via NetGalley, the review is my own opinion.
  
The Perfect Whore
The Perfect Whore
Josephine Myles | 2018 | Erotica, LGBTQ+
3
3.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fanfiction is usually free. You can find better stuff there
Once upon a time, I read Star Wars slash fanfiction. That was a lot better than this. I don't quite know what the author was going for here, as the story leans too far into plot and exposition to be a "romance" novel (not a bad thing, if the plot wasn't just a vehicle for the romance), and the erotica was less than erotic. I've read female authors who could write believable gay characters, but this isn't one of them. These characters interact more like men in Japanese yaoi, which is to say, you could sub one of the men with a woman and have the same story. I would be more generous (considering one character is a shapeshifting alien with no true gender) but her author's bio specifically states she writes gay erotica. So let's be clear: this is gay erotica for women. So if you're a lady who fetishizes gay men, this is in your wheelhouse. If you're a gay man, probably avoid this one, unless you really have a thing for sci-fi and lizardmen.

Circling back around, of course the title is attention grabbing. And the story is short enough to be fun. Both characters are obnoxious, but not so much that you can't sit two or three hours with them. The story employs standard tropes, including using rape as a dramatic crutch. If that's your thing, you'll probably enjoy this and also what's wrong with you?
  
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Lumos (380 KP) rated The Upside of Unrequited in Books

Jan 9, 2018 (Updated Jan 9, 2018)  
The Upside of Unrequited
The Upside of Unrequited
Becky Albertalli | 2017 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.2 (25 Ratings)
Book Rating
Molly's internal dialogue was spot on! (0 more)
I was on such a roller coaster with this book but the ending was a little... "lack-luster" for me. (0 more)
Relatable!
I absolutely could not put this book down! The creative writing of Albertalli was well done and brought me along on a journey with her very real characters. Though slightly predictable at times, this book was everything I wanted it to be.

The main character, Molly, is a twin. Throughout this novel, we see Molly struggle with identity and the coming of age process that comes with discovering who you are through a long series of crushed until she finds one that "clicks". Molly's twin sister (Cassie) and her new girlfriend (Mina) are determined to set Molly up with Mina's best friend Will. The pair believe this will be the perfect match as then the twin set will not be separated by love. Unfortunately, things don't work out as planned and we, as readers, are suddenly caught in the whirlwind of teen romance and self-discovery.
  
MO
Master of Crows (Master of Crows, #1)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the second novel I have read from Grace Draven and it further solidified my love for her writing. Master of Crows was even better than I could have hoped for. After reading Radiance, I immediately bought Master of Crows hoping that I could somehow prolong the feelings Radiance inspired in me. Master of Crows not only prolonged them, it built upon them.

The world of Master of Crows was much more fleshed out and described than the world of Radiance. The characters were completely different in disposition, but I found myself loving them just as much.

It was so frustrating to read, knowing what the characters don’t and wanting to scream the truth at them. I became so invested in the story that I could bring myself to put the book down. Again, Draven has written perfection that is a wonderful mix of action, fantasy, and erotica/romance. I cannot wait to read more from her is this is the caliber at which she writes everything.
  
SO
Scandal of the Season
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
An absolute delight to read. Nothing pleases me more than a couple who genuinely loves each other. It’s so hard to put into words how I feel about this novel. While it’s not groundbreaking or revolutionary, Scandal of the Season is a lovely read filled with mutual love built upon friendship. It’s such a change from the romances where the couple fight the entire time or fall in love because they are forced into each other’s presence for extended periods of time (a.k.a soulmates trope).

I am not sure what I can say about this book. It had a simple but enjoyable storyline, entertaining characters, and a tender love story. The writer also has an easy style that make the story a pleasure to read. The only negative comment I have is that the title is a little misleading. I am still not sure what the scandal was…

  If you are a fan of historical romance, this should definitely be on your TBR list.
  
LF
Long for Me (Luminous, #3)
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A boss romance involving BDSM. Sounds like the perfect recipe right? I thought so too, but I wasn’t 100% happy with this novel. On one hand, the erotic scenes were as graphic as they were hot. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable.

The being said, I wanted to punch the heroine in the face on multiple occasions. Okay, I know that is a bit extreme. Overreactions aside, she could be pretty obnoxious. I understand that she is supposed to have the “PTSD from past abuse” back story but she over the top with it. Even after the long extensive conversations with her best friend about the BDSM community, she still can’t separate from abuse. Even after going to the club and seeing consenting couples enjoying themselves. She still can’t separate it from abuse. I had to put the book down multiple times because she was so annoying.

If that doesn’t bother you, or you can get past that aspect, the story is pretty enjoyable.
  
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Sue (5 KP) rated The Art of Healing in Books

Aug 13, 2018  
TA
The Art of Healing
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Julianne has been betrayed by the person she loved. She was in the dark that her husband Clay was no longer happy in the marriage and is blindsided to come home to a completely empty home. Because of her Catholic upbringing, she is in no hurry to divorce but after encountering the woman Clay left her for, she realizes she has no choice.

Jokob has lost the love of his life to cancer. He doesn’t know how to go on without her, so he spends his time immersed in his work as a photographer.

Julianne and Jokob meet at an exhibit of his photography and begin a friendship that starts to turn into much more.

The Art of Healing is a story of two individuals that have found love, encountered loss, and been dealt with great hardship. It is more than a love story or romance novel, but instead a look into the lives of Julianne and Jokob and how they work at healing deep wounds. Can they find love again?